Musée Bourdelle Museum
Studio-museum preserving sculptor Bourdelle's works and plaster casts
Former studio of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle near Montparnasse, displaying bronzes, plaster casts and a landscaped sculpture garden; visitors examine large‑scale works and rotating exhibitions.
Musée Bourdelle at a Glance#
Address: Musée Bourdelle, 18 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015 Paris, France
Website: https://museebourdelle.paris.fr/
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mondays
About Musée Bourdelle#
Musée Bourdelle is a Paris museum dedicated to the work of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929), located in the 15th arrondissement near the Montparnasse area. The museum preserves his studio, molds and many of his sculptures and plaster studies.
Exhibits center on Bourdelle’s sculptures, plaster casts and drawings, and the site includes a landscaped sculpture garden that displays several large-scale works. The museum’s layout emphasizes the artist’s working spaces and is compact compared with larger national museums in Paris.
The museum occupies the sculptor’s former studio and related spaces that were preserved after his death and opened to the public as a museum devoted to his oeuvre. Over time the site has been maintained to present both finished bronzes and the preparatory plaster models that document his methods.
Located in the southern part of central Paris, the museum sits near Montparnasse and is accessible by city transit. The immediate neighborhood is urban and contains other cultural institutions and galleries.
- Collection size: Small museum with concentrated holdings focused on the sculptor’s working practice and plaster collection rather than large-scale museum galleries.
What to See#
- Bourdelle’s studio: Housed in the artist’s former studio and workshops, displaying original plaster casts, sketches and finished sculptures collected from the studio layout.
- Sculpture garden: An outdoor sculpture garden that exhibits large bronzes and provides views of many of the artist’s monumental works in an open setting.
How to Get to Musée Bourdelle#
Musée Bourdelle is in southern Paris (15th arrondissement) near Montparnasse. Take Métro line 12 to Falguière (a short walk) or to Montparnasse‑Bienvenüe (lines 4, 6, 12, 13) and walk about 8-12 minutes to the museum from that station. The museum is easily reached from central Paris by metro and city buses.
Tips for Visiting Musée Bourdelle#
- Visit mid-morning on a weekday to enjoy the sculpture garden and Bourdelle's studio with fewer visitors; the museum is comparatively quiet but still popular on weekends.
- Don't miss the outdoor sculpture garden and the artist's preserved studio spaces - they contain the most distinctive works and are often more rewarding than a quick walk-through of the galleries.
- Check the museum's official site for opening days and any temporary closures before travelling, as hours can change seasonally.
Best Time to Visit Musée Bourdelle#
Choose the low or shoulder seasons for a quieter visit to Musée Bourdelle and its exhibits.
Weather & Climate near Musée Bourdelle#
Musée Bourdelle's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with warm summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 2°C to 25°C. Moderate rainfall (649 mm/year), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 2° - 7° | 1° | 54 mm | overcast | 92% | 4.4 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.6h |
| February | Poor | 3° - 8° | 2° | 47 mm | overcast | 87% | 4.2 m/s | 0.2 low | 10.0h |
| March | Good | 5° - 12° | 6° | 51 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 4.5 m/s | 0.5 low | 11.7h |
| April | Good | 6° - 15° | 11° | 54 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 4.3 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 13.5h |
| May | Good | 10° - 19° | 15° | 64 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.9 m/s | 1.2 high | 15.0h |
| June | Excellent | 13° - 22° | 18° | 55 mm | partly cloudy | 75% | 3.8 m/s | 1.5 high | 15.8h |
| July | Very Good | 15° - 25° | 20° | 61 mm | partly cloudy | 72% | 3.5 m/s | 1.5 high | 15.5h |
| August | Excellent | 15° - 25° | 20° | 42 mm | partly cloudy | 72% | 3.3 m/s | 1.2 high | 14.1h |
| September | Very Good | 12° - 21° | 17° | 53 mm | partly cloudy | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 12.4h |
| October | Good | 9° - 16° | 12° | 58 mm | overcast | 84% | 3.7 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.7h |
| November | Acceptable | 5° - 11° | 5° | 53 mm | overcast | 91% | 4.0 m/s | 0.1 low | 9.1h |
| December | Poor | 3° - 8° | 3° | 57 mm | overcast | 93% | 4.3 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.2h |